Typewriting machine



1927. Apnl v o. THIEME TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 20. 1924 Patented Apr. 5,1927.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES OTTO THIEME, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO UNDER/WOOD COMPUTING MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y., A COREORATION OF NEW YORK.

TYPEWRI'IING MACHINE.

Application filed March 20, 1924. Serial No. 700,455.

This invention relates to typewriting machines which are used in making out telephone bills and the like, and more particularly to means to actuate a counter or register for computing the tax or toll as it typed on the bill by a cent tax key or by a cent tax key.

An object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the parts as to simplify their manufacture, and thus reduce their cost, and to minimize the use of screws and zuljustments, so that the parts may readily and quickly be assen'lbled to also economize in the cost of manual labor required in assemblir Heretofore the tax counter has been operated by means of a toggle-joint, which is operable by either of the two tax keys; and a feature of the invention relates to an intermediate lever construction, to be operated by the tax keys, to operate such toggle-joint.

A further feature of the invention relates to improved mounting of the counter on the main fran'ie.

The ack of the fullstroke mechanism does not descend, while the pawl, which is on the pivoted keylever, descends in a curved path. The rack is formed upon a pendant which is hinged, in order to accommodate the rack to the curved path of motion of the pawl.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional side view of a typewriting machine, showing the connection between the tax keys and the counter and the full-stroke devices associated with said keys, the parts being in their normal positions.

Figure 2 is a detail sectional rear view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional top plan view taken on the line 8-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4: is a sectional detail top plan view. showing how the counter bracket and the fulcrum for the intermediate counteractuating levers are attached to the machine.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic operating view, showing the cent tax key depressed, and the shaft of the counter in its operated position, the dial-wheel of the counter having been rotated one space thereby.

' Figure (3 is a View similar to Figure 5,

but shows the 10 cent key partly depressed to effect one actuation of the dial-wheel.

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 6, but shows the 10 cent tax key completely depressed and the toggle-joint bent to the side opposite its normal position, to thus return the shaft of the counter to its normal position, preparatory to causing another oscillation of said shaft by the actuation of the toggle-joint upon the return stroke of the 10 cent tax key.

The invention is herein illustrated in connection with an Underwood typewrit-ing machine, which may comprise the usual numeral-keys 10 and alphabet-keys 11 associated with key-levers 12, and also a special 5 cent tax key 13 and a 10 cent tax key 14: associated with key-levers 15 and 16, respectively. All of the key-levers are fulcrumed on a fulcrum rod 17 extending between the sides 18 of the main frame 19 of the machine. Each key-lever, when depressed, rocks a corresponding bell-crank 20 about its fulcrum 21 to swing a type-bar 22 upwardly and rearwardly about a pivot 23 to cause the type-bar to print against the cylindrical platen, not shown. The keylevers are guided at their forward ends by a guide-plate 2 1 having slots through which the key-levers extend.

The usual taX amounts to be recorded are five cents and ten cents, and these taxes are typed by the special. tax keys, the associated type-bars of which have types bearing the numbers 05 and 10. Said keys are effective to actuate a counter 25 which may be similar to the well-known Veeder type, which comprises dial-wheels :26 mounted on a shaft 27, said shaft being provided with a crank-arm 28 by which it may be oscillated. The shaft 27 may be connected to actuate the dialswheel of units position one space at a time. as shown in the application of Alfred G. F. Kurowski, Serial No. 599; 221, filed November 6, 1922 (now Patent No. 1,574,906, dated March 2, 1926). The units dialwheel is provided with numerals O and 5, alternately arranged on its face, the other dial-wheels having the regular arrangement of numerals from 1 to 0, inclusive. The construction of the units dial-wheel may be similar to that disclosed in the Kurowski application above referred to, and enables a carryover to the tens dial-wheel to be ellected at every second space of said dialwheel, or, in other words, every time a 5 moves away from the sight-opening 29 in the counter.

The actuating means for the counter may comprise a toggle-joint 3t) composed of a lever 31 pivoted on a shouldered screw 32 threaded into the main :t'rame ot' the machine, and a link connected at one end to the lever 31 by a headed rivet 3i, and at its other end to the cranlnarm oi the counter by means of a snap connection 3 The toggle-joint is normally bent and occupies the position shown in Figure 1. It may be operated by either of two intermediate levers 36 and 37 associated with the tar: keys 18 and let, respectively. B ch intermedzate lever is provided at its forward end with a slot 38 to embrace a headed stud 39 on its astociated key-lever to form a connection therewith, so that when either key-lever depressed the associated intermediate lever is swung about a fulcrum pin -l-O secured to the main frame, to raise its rear end. said rear end engaging); with a lateral extension it on the lever 31 ot the toggle-joint to swing; said lever about its pivot to straighten out the to I shown in Figure 5. Thus. the wit 2'? ot the counter is rotated from the position shown in Figure 1, to the position shown in Figure 5, when the 5 cent tax lie v operated to thus move the units dial-wheel through one position to add live to the amount already registered in the counter. Upon the release of the depressed key. the associated key-lever is returned to its normal position by the usual return spring 42, whereupon the toggle-joint is also restored to its normal position by a return spring at said spring being connected at one end '0 an arm l t on the lever 31 of said togglejoint, and at its other end to a pin on the main frame of the machine. Thus. the shalt 27 of the counter, upon the return of the toggle-joint, is restored to neutral position to complete the oscillation thereof.

It will be understood that the dip of the 5 cent tax key 13 is substantially equal to the dip of the 10 cent tax key It. and, by an inspection of Figure 1, it will be seen that the length of the lever 36 from the tulcrum 40 to the point of connection with the associated tax key-lever 15 is greater tl an the corresponding part or" the intermediate lever 37. Consequently, the 10 cent tax l: v, when depressed, moves the rear end of its associated lever 37 through a greater tance, to thus actuate the toggle-joint through a greater extent as compaed with its actuation caused by the depression of the 5 cent tax key.

When the 10 cent tax he 1 is depressed. the toggle-joint 30 is lirst st .ghtened out. as shown in Figure 6. bf. a par tial depression of said 10 cent tax key. This moves the dial-wheel 26 through one space to thus add five to the amount in the counter. A further deprt on of the 10 cent LilX key, to the position shown in F igure 7, causes the tog gle-joint to be bent to the side opposite its normal position, causing the shaft of the counter to be restored to its normal position, thus completin a single oscillation of said shaft. rlpon the return stroke of the 10 cent tar; key, from the position shown in Figure '7. the toggle-joint is again straightened out a then returned to its normal position shown in Fleur 1. Thus the shaft ot the counter is oscillated a second time to more the dial-wheel through another space to add another live to complete the ten which run into the counter. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the actuation of the 10 cent tax hey etl'ects a two-space movement of the dial-wheel to add ten to the amount already in the counter, five being added upon the depression of said key, and live upon the return stroke of said hey.

During the actuation of the 10 cent tax he ll, ti 3 lateral extension ill on the lever of the togglefioint slides on the enn ging su face of the intermediate lever espc- 1 when said intermediate lever is moving from its partly-actuated position in Figure (3 to its tully-actrmted position in Figure 1 This would ordinarily cause considerable friction due to rubbing, but, in order to ree the friction to a minimum, the rubbing been avoided by the provision ot a roller suitably mounted on said lateral ill-stroke devices lti are provided for the tax keys l3 and 1- to compel the completion of the stroke of e: ch in either direction after it has been started, to thus insure against trohe device comprises a pendant 1 pivotan supported at its upper end in a bracket l8 secured to the back of the keylerer guide-plate E l. To connect the pendants to said bracket, each is provided at its l end with two prongs l9 which are ll v close together, so that they may be throiui'h an opening in said bracket,

which the prongs may be separated })l'ELt'llll-,;' them to thus retain the pendpivotallv on the bracket. Each pendant is further provided with a toothed portion 50 in the path of a pawl 51 pivotally supported at 52 on the associated tax lreylever. the pawl being held in a central posia coil spring 53. Each pawl is procd with a nose 54: which engages the toothed portion 50 ot the associated pendant as the hey-lever is depressed. thus swinging the pawl about its pivot, as indicated in Figure (1. to enable the ,-lever to be de' but preventing i return to normal 11 before it has been completel; ded. Upon further depression of the keyliltlever, the pawl moves past the toothed portion 50 of the pendant, and thus swings to the position shown in Figure 7. In a similar manner the pawl, 51, upon the return stroke of the tax key-le\-'er, is swung about its pivot 52 against the tension of the spring 53 inthe opposite direction to enable the pawl to slide over the teeth. In this way another depression of the tax key-lever is prevented before it is completely restored. This is of particular importance in connection with the 10 cent tax key 1a, which, it will be remembered, moves the dial-wheel of the counter one space during its return movement.

To hold the full-stroke pendants at? in proper cooperative relation with their pawls 51, each tax key-lever is provided with a headed stud 55 engaging on the side of the pendant opposite to which the pawl 51 is disposed. Thus, the body of the stud 55 holds the full-stroke pendant -17 in cooperative relation with the pawl 51, the head of said stud serving to prevent lateral displacement of said pendant relatively to said pawl. By an inspection of Figure 1, it will be seen that the lrey-levers are fulcrumed at 17, considerably below the fullstroke pawl 51. Consequently, each pawl, as it is carried downwardly by the associated tax key-lever, also moves slightly forward. This is one of the reasons for pivotally supporting the pendants 47, and preferably at their upper ends. so that each may swing slightly forward, due to the forward movement of said pawl, during the actuation of the as sociated key-lever, said pendant remaining, however, always in proper co-operative relation with the pawl, since it is constrained by the stud 55 on the key-lever.

The counter is secured to a bracket 56 by suitable screws 57, said bracket having a downwardly-extending ear 58 with a hole 59 therein through which a screw 60 passes from the main frame 19 (Figure 4), said screw is threaded into a headed portion or nut 61. of the fulcrum pin l0 of the intermediate lovers, to thus clamp said bracket in place on the main frame. To assist in holding said bracket in position, the main frame is provided with an aperture 63 into which an extension 62 of said bracket projects. Thus it will be understood that the screw 60 secures the counter 25 and the fulcrum pin 10 in place.

The intermediate counter-actuating levers 36 and 37 are held in position on their fulcrum pin 40, or, in other words, are prevented from sliding off said pin by their associated key-levers 15 and 16. which are located on those sides of said intermediate levers which are nearest the free end of the fulcrum pin.

It will be seen, by an inspection of Figure 1, that the counter 25 is arranged in front of the key-lever guide-plate 24 where it may be conveniently observed by the typist, and that the lever 31 of the toggle-joint 30 is located behint. said guide plate where it may be conveniently engaged by the intermediate levers 3b and 37. As a result of this arrangement, the link 33. which forms part 0 l the t ggleioint, is bent or L-shaped, so as to extend under the guide-plate from the lever 31 and. upwardly at the front of said guide-plate to the crank-arm of the counter.

From the foregoing, it will readily be understood that the parts are comparatively few in number, and simple in construction, and that the use of screws and adjustments of parts have been reduced to a minin'ium, so that the parts may be easily and quickly assembled. i

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a key-lever, a coun tel, actuating mechanism for said counter, said actuating mechanism comprising a toggle-joint. and an intermediate lever to be operated by said key-lever, said intermediate lever engaging the toggle-joint to actuate the latter to operate the counter.

2. The combinatioi'i of two key-levers. a counter. a shaft in said counter, actuating mechanism for said counter, said actuating mechanism comprising a toggle-joint connected to said shaft to oscillate the latter. and two intermediate levers to operate said togglejoint. each intermediate lever being associated with one of the lteydevers to be operated thereby, one of said. key-levers be ing elicctive through its as ociated intermediate lever and the toggle-joint to cause a single oscillation of the shaft, and the other key-lever being etl'ective through its associated intermediate lever and the toggle-joint to cause a double oscillation of said shaft.

53. The combination of two key-levers, a counter. actuating mechanism for said counter, said actuating mechanism con'iprising a toggle-joint. and two intermediate levers to operate said toggle-joint, each intermediate lever being associated with one of the keylevers to be operated thereby, one of said key-levers being effective through its associated intermediate lever and the togglejoint to cause asingle actuation of said counter, and the other key-lever being effective through its associated intermediate lever and the toggle-joint to cause a double actuation of said counter, said toggle-joint comprising an element having a member with engaging surfaces in stepped relation to be engaged by the intermediate levers.

a. The combination of a key-lever, a counter, actuating mechanism for said counter,

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said actuating mechanism comprising a togole-joint composed of means including a lever of the third order, and a lever of the tirst order to be actuated by said key-lever to engage the lever ot' the third order to operate said toggle-joint.

5. The combination of a key-lever, a fulcrmn for said lever at its rear end, meehanism operable by said key-lever. a trill-stroke element, a pawl pivoted on said key-lever to co-operate with said element, said pawl being so located on the key-lever with respect to the key-lever fulcrum that it is carried downwardly and forwardly by the key-lever, said full-stroke element being pivoted at one of its ends so that it may swing forwardly due to the forward movement of said pawl, and means on. said key-lever to keep said full-stroke elementin proper (to-operative relation with said pawl.

6. The combination of a main frame, a key-lever, a tulcrum tor said l cy-lcver at its rear end and on said main frame; compitting mechanism operable by said heylever. a full-stroke pendant pivoted on said main traine, said iendant lia in; a toothed portion. a spi'ingr-controlled pawl pivoted on said l;e vlever to co-operate with the toothed portion of said pendant, said pawl being so located on the key-lever with respectto the l e v-lcvcr fulcrum that it is carried downwardlv and forwardly by said liQjf-lQCtT. said full-stroke pendant being ettective to swing foiwvardly due to the forward movement of said pawl, and a headed stud on said l e v-levcr to keep said pendant in proper co-operative relation with said.

pawl.

'2". The combination of a hey-lever, a counter, actuating mechanism tor said counter. aid actuating mechanism comprisin;' a to 'ele-ioint, an intermediate lever to be operated by said lre v lever, said intermediate lever eic ping the toggle-joint to actuate the latter ,0 op rate the counter. a tulcrum tor said intermediate lever, said in terincdiate lever having a slot at one end, and a stud on the her-le er to engage in said slot to actuate said internieeiate lever.

8. The combination at a key-lever, a ciuintcr. actuating mechanism for said counter, s actuating mocha iism comprising a to e-joint, an intermediate lever to be operated by said hey-lever, said internicdi te lever e1 ging the toggle-joint to actuate the latter to operate the counter, a main frame, and means pivoted on the frame to interlock with the key-lever to insure a full operative movement of the intermediate lever, to actuate the counter.

9. The COlIllJlIltltlOIl with a typewritim machine comprising a main frame and keylevers, ot a counter to be operated by said key-levers, a bracket to support said counter, means comprising a screw to secure said bracket to the main frame, the main trame having an aperture, and an extension on said bracket to engage in said aperture to assist in maintaining the counter in position on said main frame.

10. In a typewriting' machine, the combination. of a main trame, lcev-ltwers, a guideplate for said key-levers near their forward ends, a counter arranged at the front of said guide-plate, means comprising a toggle- ]oint to actuate said counter, intermediate means operable by one of said key-levers to actuate said toggle-joint, said togglejoint comprising a lever and a link, said lever being engaged by said intermediate means and being located behind said guideplate, said link being connected to the linlc oi the toggle-joint and to said counter and being bent to extend under the guide-plate and ul'iwardlv the front thereot, and a return spring connected to the lever of the togglejoint.

11. The combination of a counter, two lacy-levers, means comprising a togc'le ioint to operate said counter, and two intern1e diate levers, one associated with each keylever and operaiile thereby to actuate said togr elcjoint tl11.'( ll {l1 ditterent extents according to the hey operated to register ditterent amounts in said counter.

12.Thc combination ot' a counter, two hey-levers, means con'iprising' an actuable elen'ient to operate said counter. and two intermediate levers. one associated with each key-lever, said intermediate levers having a common fulcrum and arms of differentlengths engaged by said key-levers to operate the ac'tuable elementv through different extents according to the key operated to register ditlerent amount?v in said counter.

13. The combination of a counter, two l e v-levers, means including a. lever ot the third order to operate said counter, and two intermediate levers of the first order, one for each kev-lever and operable by said ke vlevers to actuate the lever of the third order to operate said counter, the intermediate levers having arms of ditl'erent lengths to eittectthe registering of different amounts in said counter.

OTTO THIEME. 

